that one service."

"No boat could live ten minutes in that surf; there's a sea running
there would swamp a schooner," said an old man, with white hair.

"We'd never get outside the breakers yonder," said another.

"I think we've had enough of it for one night," muttered a third, with a
side-long glance towards the recent grave.

"And you," said Mark, turning fixedly round to Tom M'Carthy, "what words
of comfort have you for me?"

"Faix, that I'm ready and willin' to go with you, divil may care who
the other is," said the stout-hearted fellow. "I seen the day you jumped
into a boat yourself to take the crew off a wreck below the point there,
and I took an oath that night I'd never see you wanting for two hands
at an oar as long as I could pull one. The waves that isn't too high for
you is not a bit too big for me either."

"Well done, Tom," said a powerful looking young fellow beside him, "and
I'll be the bow oar for you, an' you'll take me."

"And here's two more of us," said another, as he held a comrade by
the hand, "that will never see his honour at a loss, no matter how it
blows."

The doubt and hesitation which prevailed but a moment before, were at
once changed for confidence and resolution, and eight men now hurried to
the beach to launch the boat, and make ready for the enterprize.

"If we could only see a flash, or hear a shot now, we'd know which way
to bear down," said Tom, as he stood on the shore, with his eyes turned
seaward.

"There--there goes one!" cried Mark, as a red flame shot forth and
glittered for a second over the dark water.

"That's the frigate; she's holding on still by her anchors."

"I knew they would not desert us, boys," cried Mark, with wild
enthusiasm, for hope gained on him every moment as peril increased.

"Now for it, and all together," said Tom, as he bent forward against the
whistling storm, and the craft, as if instinct with life, bounded over
the wave, and cleft her way through the boiling surf, while the hardy
fishermen strained every nerve, and toiled with all their energy. Mark
kneeling in the bow, his eyes strained to catch any signal, seemed
perfectly delirious in the transport of his joy.

"Luff her, luff her--here comes a large wave--nobly done, lads--how she
mounts the sea--here's another;" but the warning was this time too late,
for the wave broke over the boat, and fell in torrents over the crew.
With redoubled vigour the stout fellows bent to their wor